Ash Imagery is a film photographer based in Philadelphia and Upstate NY. Ash Imagery will photograph weddings and elopements in Philadelphia, Lake Placid, the Adirondacks and around the world. Ash Imagery also offers Boudoir photographer and commercial photography such as lifestyle sessions. Ash Imagery is considered to be a Film Wedding Photographer and a Film Photographer with a unique style and vision. Ash Imagery is owned by Michael Ash Smith, a portrait and lifestyle photographer based in Philadelphia using film as his primary medium.

Shauna + Dave. A Mansion at Ridley Creek State Park Wedding.

Being asked to photograph a wedding is humbling. Being asked to photograph the wedding of a colleague is humbling and frightening.

Not frightening in the way that you are uncharacteristically nervous or afraid you will fail. I don't get that feeling. Its more like you are aware of the fact that that they do exactly what you do for a living and you want to make sure you perform up to their standards. You want them to not think about how they would be capturing the day, however you know at some points it has crossed their mind. You want to knock the ball out of the park, like you do every wedding, but for this one you want the ball to go just a bit further.

So when my friend Dave (who is a wedding photographer himself) and his fiance Shauna asked me to photograph their wedding, I was honored and those thoughts leaped into my head. But after their engagement session, I knew I had nothing to worry about. They just wanted to be married and I was there to record it.

They were married on a typical, gloomy, Pennsylvania day a few months back. I have yet to photograph a wedding at this place when the sun makes its presence known. Their venue is one of my favorites in the area, The Mansion at Ridley Creek State Park. Its a hidden gem in the area and a venue I hope I get to photograph at more often.